The shelves of the sports shop were lined with a dazzling array of footwear. In a world revolving around Horse Girls, the build quality was exceptionally robust. Ordinary sneakers would disintegrate under the torque these girls generated.
These shoes weren't just durable; they were reinforced with steel toe caps, designed to protect the foot—and serve as a weapon if necessary.
"Hello, how can I help you today?"
"I want to buy a pair of shoes for my trainee. She has a race coming up."
"In that case, I highly recommend this model..." The clerk launched into a technical sales pitch.
Right. I understood none of that.
The clerk was throwing around terms like "triple-ply steel reinforcement" and "hydro-dynamic resin," referencing brands Logan had never heard of.
Nodding sagely as if he understood, Logan turned to his expert.
"Teio, what do you think?"
"Obviously we go for the best performance-to-price ratio. Let's get the ones made of reinforced resin. They're durable and lightweight."
"We'll take those."
"Shall I box them up?"
"No need. We'll swap them now." Teio sat on the fitting stool and extended her leg toward Logan. "Trainer, help me."
"Mmh."
Logan crouched down and began unlacing her street shoes.
Since she hadn't trained yet today, her feet were pristine. Usually, post-training, her white cotton socks would be soaked, stained dark with sweat, and emitting a complex bouquet of acidity, leather, and milk.
But now? They were perfect.
Her calves and feet radiated a clean scent of soap and citrus. Dry, soft, and inviting.
It was the optimal state for... appreciation.
As Logan slid the shoe off, Teio's face flushed a deep crimson. The moment his fingers brushed her sole, her body jolted with an involuntary spasm.
So good...
Since that kiss in the morning, Teio had been on edge. She was desperate for contact. Kissing him back hadn't quenched the thirst; it had only made her crave more.
She wanted to touch him. She wanted to use him to stimulate her own senses. Her youthful heart was restless.
When Logan's hand firmly grasped her foot, a small, whimpering moan escaped her lips. The clerk, sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere, tactfully retreated to the back room, leaving them alone.
While Teio was practically vibrating with excitement, Logan remained focused. He slid her soft foot into the new shoe, marveling at the construction.
For a human, these shoes would last a lifetime.
For a Horse Girl? Maybe a year? Their daily training load would kill a normal person.
Logan had once tried to train alongside Teio. He knew he couldn't just give orders; he needed to build his own stamina.
He had run beside her on the track. The result? He nearly died of exhaustion, while Teio hadn't even broken a sweat.
Eventually, some protective instinct kicked in, and Teio had carried his limp body to the infirmary, nursing him back to health with wet towels.
Lesson learned: Humans cannot challenge Horse Girls. Unless he underwent a genetic mutation, their baseline was his absolute limit.
"Done."
Logan finished tying the laces and looked up. Teio was covering her mouth, her eyes misty and unfocused. Her tail was twisted into a knot, and her body was twitching intermittently.
What's wrong with her?
Logan was confused. It's not like I fed her aphrodisiacs. Why is she glitching out?
It took a long moment for Teio to recover from the sensory overload of having her feet serviced by her Trainer. She wiped the corner of her eye. She hadn't expected a simple touch to be so... electrifying.
If he did... other things... would I just die of pleasure?
Teio suddenly felt very optimistic about the future.
"Let's go, Trainer," she said, her voice dripping with reluctance to stop.
Being in the Real World made some things harder to read. Logan paid the 70,000 yen for the shoes and horseshoes—expensive, but they came with a six-month warranty.
As they walked out, Logan's mind wandered. Does any of this matter? If the timeline resets, do these items carry over? Does the relationship progress save?
Wait...
Logan stopped dead in his tracks.
He realized something crucial.
In the Glitch World, he couldn't command anyone but Teio because he wasn't their registered Trainer. He couldn't initiate contracts there because the UI was broken.
But if this is Reality... does that mean he can sign contracts here?
It's possible!
Maybe the two worlds were complementary. What was impossible in the Game could be done in Reality, and vice versa.
He wanted to go back and test this theory immediately, but Teio was clamping down on his hand.
This kid is strong! It feels like being handcuffed by a hydraulic press!
Teio, if you squeeze any harder, I'm going to lose circulation!
"Trainer! Let's go to the food district!" Teio's mood was soaring. "Lunch out, then we play all afternoon!"
"No. I have work to do."
"Work... oh." Teio's ears instantly drooped flat against her head. The word "Disappointment" was practically stamped on her forehead.
"...We can play for a little bit first."
"Really!? Hehe~" The ears shot back up. Instant sunshine.
"Let's go. Where to?"
Seeing her mood flip so dramatically, Logan couldn't resist pulling her into a hug and ruffling her hair. This transition from "Glitchy NPC" to "Emotional Rollercoaster" was incredible.
The paper doll had come to life.
Logan felt lighter than he had in months.
"Takoyaki! Ramen! Sushi! I want to eat everything!" Teio giggled, hugging him tight.
Unnoticed by Logan, her tail swayed and then quietly wrapped around his thigh, coiling tight like a chain, binding the man to her.
They played until evening. When they returned to the academy gates, Logan saw a familiar green figure still standing guard.
"Trainer Logan. You've returned."
"Mmh. Still working, Tazuna?"
"I saw that you hadn't come back yet, so I thought I'd wait here to welcome you."
"I'm flattered."
Logan's eyes were glued to Tazuna's black stockings. She seemed to be shifting her weight, unintentionally rubbing her long, beautiful legs together.
"It was my own decision." She bowed slightly, flashing a flawless, professional smile.
Her emerald eyes flicked briefly to Teio, who was leaning possessively against Logan, before returning to his face.
"To express my thanks, I'll treat you to dinner sometime, Tazuna." Logan finally tore his eyes away from the tempting view.
"Certainly. I look forward to it."
Her smile didn't waver.
As they walked away, Logan glanced back. Tazuna Hayakawa was still watching him.